Can opener



May 29, 1951 E. MEsiK .k CAN oPENlsxRLI Filed Oct. 51, 1946 Patented May29 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEr CAN OPENER Edward Mesik, Buffalo,N. Y. Application october 31, 1946, serial No. 707,021

2 claims. l

This invention relates to can openers operative completely to sever thetop of the can.

Prior constructions so operative have the disadvantage of the liabilityof the severed top falling into the can.

'I'he objects of the invention are to overcome this objection; and toprovide a can opener so operative which will be conveniently adaptableto cans of various diameters, will automatically raise the can top fromthe can, may be actuated to effect the transfer of the severed can topto a position clear of the can, and will enable the facile and immediaterelease of the can top so transferred whereby the severed can top may bedischarged clear of the can.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved can opener inposition for operation.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the can opener in the relationshown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the can opener in the relation shown inFigures 1 and 2, the availability of the device for cans of standardrectangular cross section being indicated by dot and dash lines.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view along the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

The drawing shows the ordinary cylindrical can C in which food productsare dispensed, its end walls being connected to its cylindrical Wall bythe usual interlocking joints which provide peripheral beads B.

The can top severing mechanism 28, may be of any suitable construction.The standard construction shown includes a body member 2| having at itslower end an inward projection 22 for abutting engagement with thecylindrical can Wall at a point suitably below the upper bead B andimmediately above the projection 22 a feed wheel 23 for engagement withthe under side of the upper bead B, the pintle (not shown) which carriesthis wheel being journalled in the member 2| and carrying at its outerend the usual nger piece 24. v'Ihe member 2| carries lower and upperstops 25 and 26, the stop 25 overlying the upper bead B and serving tolocate the Wheel 23 beneath the bead, thereby to prevent canting of themember 2| about the bead during the operative rotation of the Wheel 23byI the finger piece 24. The cutter 21 is pivotally secured belowcenter, as at 28, to the member 2|, its upper portion being of extentsuitable to provide a finger piece 29. Its lower end is formed andsharpened to puncture the top of .the can, and when the cuttingmechanism is moved about the periphery of the can by the clockwiserotation of the thumb piece 24, to cut the top from the upper bead B.The cutter, when not in use, has an inoperative horizontal position inwhich it rests by gravity against the stop 25. When the member 2| isapplied to the can the cutter 21 is moved by the finger piece 29 untilit reaches a vertical position in which its further movement is arrestedby the stop 26. In such position the active lower end. of the cutter haspunctured the can top and started the kerf which is completed in theclockwise peripheral direction by the peripheral movement of the cuttingmechanism effected as aforesaid.

The mechanism designated generally as 38, which engages the can top inorder to eiect its removal, transfer and discharge is operativelyconnected to the can top severing mechanism. The operative connectionsbetween the mechanisms include a sleeve 3| which has a swivelledmounting 32 upon an outwardly and laterally ex.- tending ear 33 carriedby the upper portion of the member 2|. The sleeve 3| has a non-circularaxial bore in which a rod 34 of conforming cross section is slidablymounted. At its inner end the rod 34 is pivotally connected, as at 35,to a projecting part of the can top removing mech- .anism 30. By reasonof the slidable mounting of the rod 34 in the sleeve 3| and the pivotal,connection 35 the space between the mechanisms 28 and 30 will beautomatically accommodated to the particular diameter of the can. Itfollows that a device embodying the invention may be used upon cans ofvarying diameters Within a Wide range.

The mechanism 38 includes a collar 36 having finger engageable Wings 31,one of which serves for the pivotal connection 35 of the rod 34. `Thecollar 36 is loosely mounted upon a tubular post 38 which occupies avertical position during the can top severing operation and projectsabove and below the collar. The post 38 carries at its upper end asuitable hand piece or knob 39 which is preferably cup-shaped as shownand is formed with a central boss 4| by means of which it may beconveniently mounted upon the upper end of the post by threadedengagement.

A helical expansion spring 40 surrounds the post 38 and bears at itsupper end against the boss 4| and at its lower end against the collar36, upward movement of the post consequent to the rpressure of thespring being limited by a stop collar 42 secured to the post below thecollar 36.

The lower end of the post 38 carries a vacuum cup 41 of rubber or anyother appropriate iiexible and resilient material. The cup 41 is formedwith an upright central boss 48 having a central opening 49 whichextends to the cavity 5| of the inner or engaging face of the cup and isopen at its opposite end to an opening 50 of greater diameter extendingto the outer at face of the boss. The vacuum cup 41 is frictionallysecured to the post` 38 by forcing the lower end of the post, to theextent permitted by the collar 42, into the opening 50. The openings 49and 50 and the interior of the post 38 provide a continuous air passagebetween the cavity andthe outer end of the post.

The cavity 5| has the usual concave form and provides a seat for anormally .closed 'valve '52 having a conical engaging face. The valve 52is carried at the lower end of a stem 53 which extends through the airpassage aforesaid and projects suitably beyond the upper end of the'-post 38. The valve 52 is held normally seated -by a helical expansionspring 54 located within the post V38 and bearing at its upper endagainst -a cross pin 55 carried by the stem S53 `and at its lower endagainst a shoulder 56 at the lower end of the post 38.

vided for -by the slidable engagement of the rod 34 in the sleeve 3 i Asthus centered the-collarv is held by the springltil in the lowermostposition permitted by the linkage 34. The heel -of the hand (or thethumb) is then-applied to the knob -39 and the index and second ngersare.engaged under the wings 31, the knob 3Q and postbeing then pushed downin opposition to the pressure of the spring 45. As the knob is pusheddown the vacuum cup is attened and vby Ythe concomitant application ofhand pressure to lthe projecting upper end of the stemA 53, thedownwardmovement of which relative-to the post .38 is made 'possible bythe slots, the valve 52 is opened and the air under pressure in thecavity 5i `escapes pastfthe vaiveand through the Vcontinuous air passageaforesaid. When the vacuum cup has thus been flattened the lpressureVupon the knob V39 and stem 53 is released, the valveI 52 is reseated bythe spring 5ft, andthe vacuum cup, by virtue of its resilience andflexibility, assumes its normal operative shape in. which the volume orthe cavity 5| is increased, the marginal portion of the vacuum cup thewhile having sealing engagement with the top oi the can in the usualmanner whereby a partial vacuum is created in the cavity 5| which isamply sumcient firmly to secure the can top removing mechanism to thetop of the can. The cutter 21 is then moved to its vertical operativeposition, puncturing the `can and starting the kerf, all as abovedescribed. The thumb piece 24 is then rotated clockwise to eiTect theclockwise movement of the can top severing mechanism 2S in peripheralrelation to the can. The movement of the mechanism 28 is continueduntilthe cutter completes a circular kerf, thereby-severing the can topfrom the upper bead B.

The pressure of the spring 4D `is exerted-continuously upon the lboss 4|during the can top severing operation whereby when the cantop is"tangularoutline having curved corners.

4 completely severed the post 38, carrying with it the vacuum cup andthe top of the can, is raised until its movement is limited by theengagement of the collar 42 against the collar 36. The can top holdingmechanism may then be swung about the pivot 32 in order to move theelevated can top to a position clear of the can, that is to say at oneside of the can. Thereupon the valve 52 may be opened to break thevacuum in the cavity 5| with the resultant release of the can top.Obviously the device as an entirety may be re- .,moved from the can atthe completion of the severing operation and the can top discharged at aremote point, i. e. into any suitable waste receptacle.

'The swivelled sleeve 3| and the linkage rod 34, slidable therein,.considered as operative connections ,between the can top severingmechanism 20 and the can top holding mechanism 3D, provide for the useof the device with cans of rec- This is shown in Figure 3 by dot-anddash lines,fthe line AX representing a-can-of rectangular'crosssectionand the lines Y representing the device, In'such use the swivel mountingof thelsleeve-SI andthe slidable mounting of the rod34 permit therelative shifting lof the mechanismsZ and-3 in the radial direction,pursuant to "the movement of the severing Vmechanism l2|) in-conformityto, and about, the upper margin of the can, -withoutvdisturbing thecentered position of the mechanism 3|! in holding and sealing`engagement with Athe can top. v

Since thecollar 36 is loosely mounted upon the post 38 the latter mayturn about its axis relatively to the collar. Thereby the can topengaging mechanism `is available for use with can top severing mechanismof the wall mounted-type in which the can-rotates about itsaxisrelatively to the severing mechanism, the connections between the twomechanisms -being Vthe same-as in the embodiment disclosedy wherein, asabove described, thesevering mechanism is-movable Yperip'herally aboutthe can.

In the subjoined claims wordsindicative of positions'such'ashorizontaland "verticaP are, of course, used with reference to the operativeposition of the 'device as shown 'inthe drawing and'as herein described.

I claim:

1. A can opener having a :can top engaging mechanism supported at ai'lxed'point vand which comprises a vacuum cup for sealing engagementwith the can top, a post carrying the vacuum cup, a collar looselymounted upon the post above the vacuum cup and which is utilized in thesupport .of the mechanism from the xed point, the post having a shoulderon its upper portion, la spring mounted on the post between, and bearingagainst, the collar and the shoulder, the spring urging the collar andthe shoulder away from one. another, said post and vacuum cup being.formed to provide a continuous air passage `between the cavity of thevacuum .cup vand the upper end of the posit-a valve for normal seatingengagement upon the surface of the vac- .uum cup cavity sealing saidcavity from said passage, the valve having a stem which projects beyondthe upper end of the post, vand a spring mounted within the `post to acton said stem, thereby to hold the valvenormally closed.

2. A can lopener having a can top engaging mechanism suppor-ted'at a xedpointand which comprises a vacuum cup vforsealing engagement 5 with thecan top, a post carrying the vacuum cup, a collar loosely mounted uponthe post above the vacuum cup and which is utilized in the support ofthe mechanism from the Xed point, the post having a shoulder on itsupper portion, a spring mounted on the post between, and bearingagainst, the collar and the shoulder, the spring 'urging the collar andthe shoulder away from -one another, the post carrying a knob at itsupper end, the collar having nger pieces, the post and the vacuum cupbeing formed to provide a continuous air passage between the cavity ofthe vacuum cup and the upper end of the post, a valve for normal seatingengagement upon the surface of the Vacuum cup cavity normally sealingsaid cavity from said passage, the valve having a stem which projectsbeyond the upper end of the post with its projecting part exposed 6through the knob, and a spring mounted Within the post to act on saidstem, thereby to hold the Valve normally closed and to hold the stem ina position from which it may be depressed by nger pressure applied toits projecting part.

EDWARD MESIK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in lthe file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,276,567 Wdstrand Aug. 20, 19181,714,422 Hanson May 21, 1929 2,252,024 OBrien Aug. 12, 1941 2,265,491Powers Dec. 9, 1941 2,296,073 Walgo Sept. 15, 1942

